The determination of all Carlitz sets (Q1124622)

A triple (x,y,z) of positive integers is called a Carlitz set if \[ xy\equiv 1 (mod z),\quad z^ 2\equiv 1 (mod x),\quad z^ 2\equiv 1 (mod y). \] If (x,y,z) is a Carlitz set, clearly \(z^ 2-1\) is divisible by lcm(x,y), but it may be divisible by still larger factors of xy. Let \(y_ 0\) be the largest factor of xy dividing \(z^ 2-1\), and set \(x_ 0=xy/y_ 0\). Then \((x_ 0,y_ 0,z)\) is a Carlitz set for which \(\gcd (x_ 0,(z^ 2-1)/y_ 0)=1.\) We call such a set primitive. The author proves that if (x,y,z) is a primitive Carlitz set then either \(x=y\quad or\quad xy-yz+z^ 2=1.\) From this result the author deduces the form of all primitive Carlitz sets. Part of the author's results have been obtained by \textit{P. Duvall} and \textit{T. P. Vaughan} [Fibonacci Q. 27, No.2, 131-138 (1988; Zbl 0671.10003)].